An instructor watches an infantry exercise with an expert’s practiced eye, but in trying to capture vital training feedback misses the action itself. To solve this problem, Aptima has created SPOTLITETM, performance measurement software for mobile devices that allows instructors to collect, analyze, and visualize human performance data for immediate debrief and trend analysis.

The SPOTLITE app, which runs on Android-based tablets and smartphones, gives observers an all-in-one, hand-held tool for easily and precisely measuring individuals and teams during live and simulated training exercises. Marrying robust performance measurement software with the intuitive interface of touchscreen devices, instructors can uninterruptedly rate, video, and tag trainee performance in real-time, then with single-button control, deliver thorough feedback and after-action reviews.

“Observers play an essential role because they see the skills in action that are most relevant to a soldier’s readiness. The friction occurs in trying to capture and revisit the details of an exercise to impart improvement,” said Davey Lind, Senior Military Analyst with Aptima and Master Sergeant (Ret.) U.S. Marine Corps. “You don’t want to be looking down to take notes or try to recall from memory the nuanced behavior of trainees negotiating with a crowd of hostile nationals. If we can give instructors a tool to streamline measurement, to better show and tell their feedback, and help keep their eyes on the exercise, we’ll improve training.”

SPOTLITE in action

Whether evaluating team collaboration in an Air Operations Center or a live field exercise, using SPOTLITE is as simple as thumb-tapping preconfigured menu buttons. Holding a tablet like a game controller, the observer can rate key performance variables, shoot photo or video, and make annotations, all while staying focused on the scenario, without juggling tasks or looking down to take notes.

SPOTLITE’s interface and controls are designed around the unique requirements of the training environment. Observers can quickly respond to distinct scenarios, such as a dynamic target or simulated IED attack, by selecting an event from a list. Measures for the live or LVC exercise then populate the navigation panel for rating by the observer. Should performance or training conditions fall outside of specified ranges, SPOTLITE can cue the user to collect additional data.

After the live or simulated exercise, follow-on screens let the observer examine the assessments and highlights, roll-up, and aggregate scoring. “A significant payoff in improving trainee performance comes from delivering immediate, accurate, and thorough on-the-spot feedback. SPOTLITE provides instructors all those tools, eliminating the subjectivity, biases and holes that come from incomplete documentation, relying on recall, and ‘in head’ averaging,” said Ryan Marceau, Aptima’s Training Systems Team Lead.